The Choir Boy
by Niemand5
Summary: Partly pre-Lord of the Flies and partly during Lord of the Flies. A choir boy's solo comes back to haunt another choir boy.


**The Choir Boy**

_Until the morning dewdrops fade  
Until the suns' rays die  
Until the morning bell does ring  
Until the distance chimes_

The boys' voices floated up to the clear sky, gracing the surrounding people with their presence on the way. Simon shifted nervously. How many more measures until his solo? And what had he been thinking when he signed up! He could never sing in front of so many people...and his parents. His parents would hear any word he sung, any mistake he made.

_Until the end of time  
Forever we'll be there  
Until the end of time  
Forever we'll be there_

And why did their uniforms have to made of such heavy material? He felt like the black cloak was suffocating him, as if the already warm summer day wasn't warm enough. A few more measures and he then had to step forward and sing with no one accompying him except the now-still wind.

Three more measures...

Two more measures...

Why _were_ their cloaks so thick? It had to be at least 40 degrees out but, no, even that was being too kind. It was sweltering, a constant red wave of heat that threatened to drown him. 45, 50 degrees! Who knew how warm it was!

One more measure...

Deep breath...

_Until the end of time  
Forever I'll be there  
I'll be there in the clouds  
And at the bottom of the sea  
Inside every rock formation  
And inside you and me_

Simon felt himself stumble slightly. Spots were flashing infront of his eyes and he felt sick to his stomach.

_Inside you and me  
And forever in the sea_

His voice continued on even though Simon felt himself swaying slightly on the spot.

_I'll be everywhere you look  
In every hidden cranny,  
And every hidden nook,  
Forever I'll be there  
And forever, forever,_

What was the next word? What was the next word? The next word? Simon felt his eyes close for a mere second.

* * *

Some wonderfully cool substance was being laid on his forehead and trickling down the side of his face.

"Simon? Simon?" His mother's concerned voice was nearby. Where was he? Maybe he was sick and staying home from school. He felt as if his eyelids had been glued shut; opening them was not an option.

"He'll be fine. Probably just nerves." Wait, that was the precentor's voice. Why was the choir teacher here? Maybe he wasn't home.

"Why isn't he awake yet? What if he's sick? What if he needs a doctor?" His mother again.

"He'll be fine," the choir director repeated. "Just wait a bit, give him some air."

Simon heard the clicking of his mother's heels and the heavy steps of his teacher leaving the room. The sound of moving people followed them and all but disappeared. Quietly, Simon mustered the strength to crack open one eye and then the other.

"You fainted," a harsh voice said, a cross of disappointment and anger. Simon tried to place it but his still dazed mind couldn't find a name or a face. Where could he be where there was such a clean, even, white ceiling? "How could you faint?" the voice croaked. Oh yes, the voice. One thing at a time. "You ruined the song. You ruined our reputation." Song? Reputation? Oh...that song. It suddenly came rushing back to him and Simon heard his own intake of air. Had he really fainted? When had he fainted? He didn't remember falling or even closing his eyes. "Everyone's going to think we're babies now. Babies who can't even get through a song without fainting." The person sounded as if they were having trouble getting the words out. Simon opened his mouth but it was too dry to get anything out. Out of the corner of his eye he saw someone with red hair stalk out of the open door. Jack Merridew.

Simon wanted to follow him and say that their choir's reputation wouldn't be ruined because people forgot things quickly, but somehow his feet wouldn't move. "I-I'm sorry," a horse whisper issued from his mouth and disappeared quickly, swallowed by the clean white room.

* * *

_"Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!"_

Jack shivered slightly in the cool evening air. The rest of the hunters were asleep except Roger, who was on watch duty. It had been a day since they had killed, injured, the beast. They had only injured it. Injured that wretched beast. It would be back to haunt them. He sighed slightly. Did he honestly believe that? He had seen Simon's face through the flashing of the thunder, had heard him pleading, pleading, about something. The rhythm of their dance was haunting him, a constant throb to which his heart now beat. But Simon...he wasn't really dead, was he? Just, just injured. He'd come back, healthy and silent. Jack felt himself shiver. For some reason the words of their chant had disappeared and were being replaced by new ones. The last song their choir had sung as a group.

_Until the morning dewdrops fade  
Until the suns' rays die  
Until the morning bell does ring  
Until the distance chimes_

Jack shuddered. He knew which words were coming up: Simon's solo. The one he had never finished. The one which Jack had yelled at him about.

_Until the end of time  
Forever I'll be there  
I'll be there in the clouds  
And at the bottom of the sea  
Inside every rock formation  
And inside you and me  
Inside you and me  
And forever in the sea _

I'll be everywhere you look  
In every hidden cranny,  
And every hidden nook,  
Forever I'll be there  
And forever, forever,

Jack heard the young boy's performance from the concert exactly as it had been, as if he was there once again. Only this time Jack heard his own voice, and felt his mouth mouth the words that Simon had never sung, words which Jack now felt sure would haunt him forever.

_And forever I will be  
Inside of you  
And not inside of me._

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Flies, Jack Merridew, or Simon, but the song is mine.

A/N: So, my first Lord of the Flies fan-fic. I suppose when I wrote this I was hoping to characterize both of them a bit more. To show that Simon's very caring and that (at least in my opinion) Jack does have a slightly saner side, complete with a conscious, that just disappears on the island with his hunters around. So anyway, please review! (Pretty please?)


End file.
